Public water system record
New York City System
Serves New York, Queens County, Kings County and 3 more counties, NY · 8,271,000 people served
Federal records show 1 health-based violation and no monitoring/reporting issues for New York City System in the last ten years, including an unresolved Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule violation.
System profile
- Health-based violations, last 10 years
- 1
- Resolved
- 0
- Unresolved
- 1
- Any acute record
- No
- Monitoring issues, last 10 years
- 0
Key facts
- New York City System draws water from 16 wells, 15 surface water intakes and 20 reservoirs (17 of them for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use).
- Most recent formal enforcement: consent decree or court judgment by EPA, May 2019.
- Record on file since 1993, with 9 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 120,931 lead and 124,917 unknown out of 820,465 service lines.
Check whether New York City System serves your address
Health-based violations
Since October 2016Violation data reflects EPA records through March 2026. For the most current status, visit the EPA ECHO database.
| Contaminant | Rule family | Start date | Status | Acute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
120 | Feb 1, 2017 |
Active
Enforcement action in place
|
No |
Full record since 1993
EPA's records for New York City System go back to 1993. Before October 19, 2016 they list 9 health-based violations (5 resolved, 4 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 14 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4 | 4 |
| 2000s | 4 | 5 |
| 2010 to October 18, 2016 | 1 | 5 |
| October 19, 2016 to 2019 | 1 | 0 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Surface Water Treatment Rule, began October 2012, Resolved.
Show all 9 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Oct 1, 2012 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Mar 1, 2006 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jun 1, 2005 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jan 1, 2005 | Resolved |
|
Surface Water Treatment Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Dec 1, 2002 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 1994 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Aug 1, 1994 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jun 1, 1994 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 1993 | Archived |
Enforcement actions
EPA took 3 formal enforcement actions against New York City System between 2005 and 2019. The most recent was a consent decree or court judgment in May 2019.
| Date | By | Action | Violations covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 2019 | EPA | Consent decree or court judgment | 1 violation (1 health-based): Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule |
| Oct 13, 2005 | EPA | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Surface Water Treatment Rule |
| Jul 21, 2005 | EPA | Compliance order (no penalty) | 1 violation (1 health-based): Surface Water Treatment Rule |
What the violations mean
Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule
1 incidentThe system failed required surface water treatment or filtration standards
Untreated or inadequately treated surface water can contain bacteria and viruses
Where the water comes from
New York City System draws water from 16 wells, 15 surface water intakes and 20 reservoirs (17 of them for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use). 23 other community water systems buy water from New York City System. 3 other public water systems have emergency connections to New York City System.
Community systems that buy water from it
- Bedford Consolidated W.D. Bedford Hills, NY
- Brewster Heights Brewster, NY
- Briarcliff Manor Village Briarcliff Manor, NY
- Continental Village WD Cold Spring, NY
- Cornwall-On-Hudson Cornwall-On-Hudson, NY
- Elmsford Village Elmsford, NY
- Greenburgh Consolidated WD #1 Greenburgh, NY
- High Falls Water District Cottekill, NY
- Kensico Water District Valhalla, NY
- Mount Vernon Water Department Mount Vernon, NY
- New Castle/Stanwood W.D. Chappaqua, NY
- New Paltz (Village) Water Dist New Paltz, NY
- New Windsor Consolidated WD New Windsor, NY
- Newburgh Consolidated WD Newburgh, NY
- Northern Westchester Joint Water Works Cortlandt Manor, NY
- Scarsdale Water Department Scarsdale, NY
- Sleepy Hollow (Village) Sleepy Hollow, NY
- Tarrytown Water Supply Tarrytown, NY
- Veolia Water New York, Inc. Rd-1 West Nyack, NY
- Westchester County WD #1 New Rochelle, NY
- Westchester County WD #3 New Rochelle, NY
- Westchester Joint Water Works Mamaroneck, NY
- Yonkers City Yonkers, NY
Annual water quality report
New York City System must give its customers an annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report) by July 1, with the levels its tests found in the previous year.
Systems serving 10,000 or more people must mail or deliver the report to every customer, and from 2027 they must send it twice a year.
Find a posted report with EPA's Consumer Confidence Report search
Testing your own water
To test the water at your tap, or a private well this record does not cover, use a laboratory certified for drinking water by New York.
Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells